Tough competition sent Outback Bowl viewership spiraling.
Friday’s Tennessee/Northwestern Outback Bowl drew 2.8 million viewers on ESPN2, down 56% from Wisconsin/Auburn last year (6.4M) and down 48% from LSU/Iowa on ESPN in 2014 (5.4M). Ratings were not immediately available.
The Volunteers’ blowout win ranks as the least-watched Outback Bowl in the past ten seasons, falling below the previous mark of 4.1 million for Iowa/South Carolina in 2009.
Contributing to the low numbers was competition from the Ohio State/Notre Dame Fiesta Bowl on ESPN and the Michigan/Florida Citrus Bowl on ABC. Fiesta Bowl viewership was up 7% over last year’s Cotton Bowl in the same window (9.8M), while the Citrus Bowl appeared on pace for an increase as well (final numbers for that game were not yet available).
Of the 30 bowl games on ESPN/ESPN2 through Friday, the Outback Bowl was the 20th to have a decline and the 12th to hit a multi-year low — joining the Rose, Sugar, Belk, Birmingham, Military, Russell Athletic, Hawaii, Poinsettia, Potato, New Orleans and New Mexico bowls.
(Fri. numbers via ShowBuzz Daily)
